The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-01-22
INTERSTATE COMMERCE..

Interstate commerce bill, the vote be-
ing overwhelmingly in favor of the
measure. The Senate adopted the re-
port several days ago, hence all the bill
lacks TO make it law is the approving
signature of the President, which it will
undoubtedly receive. The President is
understood to favor the bill, and if he
did not he would hesitate about vetoing
il, considering that about seVen-eighths
of the Senators and Representatives
voted for it. 1t may therefore be &C
cepted that the bill will go into the
books as part of the law of the land !;
hence statement of some of its main
provisions may be interesting.
The act applies to all railroad and
water transportation companies en-
gagged in carrying passengers or prop
erty from one State or Territory to
another. All unreasonable charges are
declared unlawful, and are prohibited;
discriminating rates are forbidden, no
company being allowed to charge, col.
lect or receive more from one person
than from another for like service;
neither will railway company be per-
mitted to give preference or advantage
to any particular person, or subject
any particular person to disadvantage,
Ike facilities being required for all
shippers and passengers. The long and
short haul clause, which has been op-
posed 80 earnestly by the railways, is as
follows: -
SEC. 4.-Thatit shall be unlawful for auy
common carrier .usject 10 the provisions of
this sct 70 charge or receive any greater
compensation In the aggregate for the trans
portst1on OF passengers, or of like kind of
properly under substantially similar cir.
cumstAnces and conditions for shorter
than for longer distance over the same line
IN the sSmesdirection, the shorter being in
GUIDED within the long distance; but this
small not be construed as authorizing any
common carrier within lhe terms of this act
70 charge and receive as great compensation
Tor shorter as for longer distance Pro-
vided. however, that upon application to |
t9e commission appointed under the pro-
visions OF this act, such common carrier |
may, In special cases, after investigation BY |
Inc com mission, be authorized to Charge less |
for longer than for shorter distances for !
incorporation OF passengers or properly;
ana the commission may, from time to time, |
prescribe the extent to which such desig.
mated common carrier may be relieved from |
the operation of this section of this act.
Pooling is forbidden and made unlaw-
full; the roads are required to print and |
keep for public inspection schedules
rates and fares, and ten days notice Of
an advance in rates must be given, but |
reductions may be made without pre- |!
Vious public notice; combinations to |
prev ent the continuous carriage of |
goods are forbidden. The penalty for |
d violation of any provision of the act
is TO be fine not to exceed IS 600. Sec
ton II provides for the creation of a |
railroad commission, to be composed of |
five men appointed by the President, by |
and with the advice and consent of the |
Senate. The commissioners first ao-
pointed shall continue in Office two |
three, four, five and six years from the
LIST Of January, 1887, the President to |
designate the term of each, and their |
successors to be appointed for terms of |
six years; not more than three of the |
commissioners shall be appointed from |
the same political party, and the Presi- |
dent may remove any commissioner |
for cause; no person in the employ of |
or holding any official relation with any
common carrier subject to the PROV.
Eions OF this act, Or owning stock or |
bonds thereof, or who is in any manner
peeuniarily interested therein, shall |
enter upon the duties of or hold such |
office. Said commissioners shall not |
engage in any other business, vocation |
or employment. No vacancy in the |
commission shall impair the right of the !
ENaining commissioners to exercise ALL
Sae powers of the commission.
he commission has authority to in
e4re into the management Of any
railroad affected by the act, and power |
10 enforce the law, and the public must |
make complaints to the commission o: |
any wrong-i oing on the part of the rail-
road company. The companies are re
s4iFed to make annual reports to the |
elAmission which in turn must report
60 the secretary o. the In eriOr.
Nothing in the act shall apply to the
carriage, storage or handling of prop
erty free or at reduced rates for the
United States. State or the municipal
governments. or for charitable pur.
poses, or to or from fairs or expesitions
for exhibition thereat, or the issuance
Of mileage, excursion or Communication |
passenger tickets. Nothing in the act
shall be construed to prohibit any
common carrier from giving reduced
rates to ministers of religion; to pre-
vent railroads from giving free carriage
to their own officers and employees, or
TO prevent the principal officers of any
railroad company or companies from
exchanging passes or tickets with other |